Abstract
Plants and plant-based products have been used for a long time for medicinal purposes. This study aimed to determine the antioxidant and anti-α-glucosidase activities of eight selected underutilized plants in Malaysia: Leucaena leucocephala, Muntingia calabura, Spondias dulcis, Annona squamosa, Ardisia elliptica, Cynometra cauliflora, Ficus auriculata, and Averrhoa bilimbi. This study showed that the 70% ethanolic extract of all plants exhibited total phenolic content (TPC) ranging from 51 to 344 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g dry weight. A. elliptica showed strong 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and nitric oxide (NO) scavenging activities, with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 2.17 and 49.43 μg/mL, respectively. Most of the tested plant extracts showed higher inhibition of α-glucosidase enzyme activity than the standard, quercetin, particularly A. elliptica, F. auriculata, and M. calabura extracts with IC50 values of 0.29, 0.36, and 0.51 μg/mL, respectively. A total of 62 metabolites including flavonoids, triterpenoids, benzoquinones, and fatty acids were tentatively identified in the most active plant, i.e., A. elliptica leaf extract, by using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC)–electrospray ionization (ESI) Orbitrap MS. This study suggests a potential natural source of antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitors from A. elliptica.
Highlights
Malaysia is a country that is recognized for its diverse flora and fauna
The current study showed that all leaf extracts had high total phenolic content (TPC) concentrations ranging from
A total of 62 metabolites were tentatively characterized in A. elliptica leaf extract (Table 2)
Summary
Animals, and microorganisms offer Malaysians an extensive source of nutritious food and medicines. The antioxidant activities of different parts of plants, including roots, leaves, stalks, flowers, fruits, and seeds were studied. Acknowledgement of the potential medicinal benefits of local plants along with the development of modern technology motivated researchers, pharmacists, and physicians to explore Malaysian biodiversity. In addition to commonly consumed local herbs and fruits, some underutilized local species have the potential to act as alternative sources of micronutrients, vitamins, and health-promoting secondary plant metabolites [1].
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